Burnaby angered by company's chainsaws

On Tuesday, the City of Burnaby directed Kinder Morgan to stop work in the Burnaby Mountain conservation area after the company arrived with chainsaws and began marking trees, says a city press release.

Last week, Kinder Morgan began survey work on the area to determine the feasibility of its proposed route to twin the Trans Mountain pipeline.

Burnaby officials oppose the work, but the National Energy Board ruled that “Trans Mountain has the power to enter into and on Burnaby land without Burnaby’s agreement.”

In a statement issued Tuesday, Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan said the National Energy Board Act does not allow Kinder Morgan to cut down trees.

“We were prepared to allow them to access this conservation land for non-invasive work that could be repaired over time, but absolutely not to do what they arrived this morning to do — to cut down trees to create helicopter landing pads and sites for drilling bore holes on this protected land,” he said.

The city also alleged Kinder Morgan had attempted to interfere with traffic and obstruct park staff.

A spokeswoman for the company confirmed workers were onsite Tuesday to conduct ongoing survey work, which included preparation of some tree removal to ensure site safety.

“We maintain that the National Energy Board has confirmed our rights to access the land and carry out the engineering and field studies under Section 73,” said Lizette Parsons Bell. “We’re committed to our plan and doing the necessary and authorized work. What we want to be able to do is tell the residents of Burnaby where the pipeline route is going.”

She added that traffic was only disrupted in small amounts in the name of safety. Parsons Bell refuted Corrigan’s claim that the area would ever be used for a helicopter landing pad.

City legal counsel Greg McDade said Burnaby will seek a court ruling that protects its laws and parkland.